Labour MPs have put Starmer on notice after election battering. Can he turn it around?

"Millions of voters have told him they aren't impressed with what he's been doing in 22 months of government - and, as each hour passes, more of his colleagues are going public to say, neither are they. The powerful unions, who still pay the party's bills, have put the prime minister on notice, too. One of their leaders told me: "It's been a slow motion car crash we need a concrete promise that things will change.""

"Labour has been battered at these elections - and it being expected makes it no less painful. At count after count, seat after seat, the party lost to Nigel Farage, a man many in Labour deride as a vaudeville performer who harbours offensive views. In other parts of the country, Labour gave ground to another leader, Zack Polanski, who used to be an actual performer, a hypnotist, and a Lib Dem. The success of Reform UK under Farage is extraordinary, and the progress of the Greens under Polanski is impressive too."

"Starmer's allies say the best thing to do is to be better, move faster, govern more effectively, and to show voters "the change" - the most overused, ill-defined couple of words in politics. What they really mean is they want to appear like a group of people who know what they're doing, and will make a meaningful improvement to your life. "We made unnecessary mistakes," Starmer said on Saturday, including not doing "enough to convince [th"

Senior Labour figures and unions are pressing Prime Minister Keir Starmer to change rapidly. Loyal ministers are increasingly going public, reflecting that millions of voters are unimpressed after 22 months in government. Unions that fund the party have warned that a concrete promise of improvement is needed. Labour has suffered losses in multiple elections, including seats lost to Nigel Farage and ground given to Zack Polanski, a former performer and hypnotist. Allies argue Labour must govern more effectively, move faster, and demonstrate real change that improves voters’ lives. Starmer has acknowledged making unnecessary mistakes and said more was needed to convince people.

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